The Tales As Told At Dark Castle
by Teddy'sTwin
Summary: A Sequel to Storybrooke's Tale of Beauty and the Beast. It's all about far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and maybe a prince or two in disguise. It fills in a few gaps I left open for this opportunity and much more! Enjoy Dearies!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: WELCOME to one and all.

So…

This is a lot sooner than any of you expected I'm sure.

I'll tell you why.

I had just finished Storybrooke's Tale of Beauty and the Beast. I seriously had just typed the words "The End." And I don't know what happened. It's like … I don't know, but my roommates decided after a few hours and a bag of Cadbury eggs that it was post partum depression (and for those that have had that I don't mean to make light, I just… it was awful!) I literally could not get myself to do anything. It truly was awful.

So this had to be started immediately. I won't be as regular, mind, especially with finals coming up. But… I had to open this up pronto. :)

I know I didn't post for a while, but here goes.

BY THE WAY. If you haven't read Storybrooke's Tale of Beauty and the Beast, you might be a tad confused- you see, they have kids and kids don't make sense unless you get where they came from. Right? Right… SO I recommend that as a read- I'm pretty sure it's a decent read. It has over 1100 reviews and counting.

OH so you mean you came here to read something other than an author's note? Right!

Well here goes! Do enjoy!

~: Belle :~

"Can't I stay up?" the golden haired child asked as Belle stroked the brush through the child's curls. She must have gotten such thick curls from Belle herself, because taming them was just as hard as taming her own hair. "Please Mama?"

"No Persephone," Belle told her gently. "Not tonight."

"I promise I'll just watch!" Persephone insisted, bouncing a bit. "Ember and Pearce get to stay up with Papa all the time."

"That's because they're learning your Papa's trade," Belle told her, "And when you're seven, you can start training too." She put the brush down. It was hopeless. Her hair would do what it wanted to, just as Belle's did. Of course, Sephie had golden hair, which was already rather long for her young age, but Belle couldn't bear to cut it. It was far too adorable. Of course, the fact that Persephone had golden locks was something people who didn't know of the circumstances raised eyebrows about, since neither she nor Rumpelstiltskin had blonde hair. Those who knew, however, knew that Belle had taken sick during her pregnancy with Persephone, and Rumpelstiltskin had gone far and wide for a cure. It had been a scary time.

"That's so long from now!" complained Persephone as she turned to face her, tears welling in her big eyes.

Belle kissed her forehead, "Not tonight Sephie. Let's get you into bed."

Little Sephie harrumphed, obeying angrily, and climbed into bed. She glared at her mother from under her sheets, her face furrowed and her arms crossed on her chest. The sight wanted to make Belle laugh, but she contained it.

"How about," Belle said with a smile as she sat next to Sephie, "I tell you a story."

Sephie pretended she was still not talking to her.

"I can tell you the one about Snow White and how she met Grumpy," Belle said, tilting her head to look into Sephie's blue eyes. "Or how about I tell you the one where Hansel and Gretel found their father?"

"No," Sephie told her.

"No, huh?" Belle considered thoughtfully. "Well, how does the story of Sir Fredrick and his love Kathryn?"

"No," the four year old repeated.

"What do you want to hear then?" Belle asked.

"Tell me the story of Beauty and the Beast," Sephie demanded.

Belle suppressed a smile, "You know that one though."

"It's my very favorite," Sephie asserted.

"How about I tell you the beginning, and I'll tell you more tomorrow night?" Belle smiled.

Sephie nodded, her anger waning.

"But you have to lie down," Belle told her, brushing curls from her face. Sephie wriggled into a laying position, and looked up at her mother expectantly.

"There once was a girl who lived with her papa-."

"No, no, Mama! You have to start it off Once Upon a Time!" Sephie explained.

Belle nodded for her benefit, "Of course! What was I thinking?"

Sephie giggled, before waiting, anticipating the story she already knew.

"Once Upon A Time,

_Belle stood at her father's side, clutching her book. It was a book she had hoped would prove useful for this battle plan, but it had fallen short. A military tactics book, it had been made for defenses against other men, not for ogres. And ogres would be far more detrimental to their town than anything men could do. _

_ A messenger knight strode into the room- the doors swung shut and locked behind him with a large barricade- there was no risking anything anymore. They'd defeated only one band of ogres, and that had left their castle stronghold in shambles, not to mention their town. Oh their town. The castle was sheltering so many people because their homes were unsuitable to live in, but they were in the caves below, safe from ogres if they came. Ogres could not fit into the tunnels, and even they could not pound away at the foundations. They were far too strong. _

_ "Sir, there's news from the battlefield," the messenger knight said, and everyone in the room caught their breathe, "Ovenly has fallen." _

_ Ovenly- their last chance of hope, the last large city between them and the ogre hoard. If Ovenly had fallen, what chance did they have? And it meant they would not have any back up troops from Ovenly- poor Gaston, his cousin had resided there. What had happened to him she could only guess. _

"_Oh my gods," her papa's voice was full of despair._

"_If only he had come," Gaston muttered bitterly. _

"_Well he didn't did he?" snapped her father, pacing over to his chair. Belle put her useless book on the war table, her eyes following her only parent. He sat in his chair, slouching defeatedly, "Ogres are not men." _

"_We have to do something," Gaston paced before him angrily, "We have to stop them."_

_Belle went to put herself between Papa and Gaston. Two angry, corner men would not do well to fight each other at a moment like this. _

"_They are unstoppable," her papa sighed as Belle knelt before him. _

_She had to install hope in the room, "He could be on his way right now Papa," she reminded him. _

_He patted her hand, "It's too late my girl, it's just- too late."_

_There was a great knock on the door. Another- a third. _

_Belle's heart rose, hope filling her for the first time in weeks. He was here. He had come. "It's him, it has to be him."_

_Her father was still skeptical, but he could not hide the hope from his voice, "How could he get past the walls?" he wanted to know, striding forward. Belle followed eagerly, wanting a look at their salvation, "Open it," he ordered the door guards. Gaston grasped his sword hilt._

_The room held it's breathe as the double doors swung open. _

_To Belle's despair no one was there. The corridor was entirely empty, void of anything but broken castle bits and leaves that had blown in. _

"_Ah that was a bit of a letdown," an unfamiliar voice sent Belle whirling around. In her seat sat a man, thin, taunt as a bow and yet relaxed as a cat, eyes dancing as he surveyed the room. _

_This was the infamous Rumpelstiltskin. _

_He was holding a tower- the tower that symbolized their town in his hands. He'd taken it off of the war table. Gaston drew his sword, pointing it at him. "You sent me a message- something about um "Help. Help. We're dying- Can you save us?" He stood fluidly, glowering at Gaston and his sword, "Well the answer is-," he slapped Gaston's sword away, "yes I can." He tossed the tower to one of the council men, "Yes I can protect your little town. For a price," his voice lilted in a slippery way. _

"_We sent you a promise of gold."_

"_Well you see I uh I make gold," he shrugged, and Belle was fascinated by his hands as he moved them. "What I want is something a bit more special. My price- is her."_

"Mama," Sephie interrupted, and Belle was jarred back to reality by the beautiful tinkling voice of hers, "Why did Papa want you?"

Belle smiled softly, "I'm not quite sure- I think he had some plot for me in his mind, but in reality? I think he was lonely."

"Why was Papa lonely?"

The question hurt Belle's heart- to think Rumpelstiltskin was so lonely for all those years- if only she had come sooner… "You see, dear one, he wasn't the nicest person in those days. He made deals with a lot of people, and they got mad at him for it later."

"How come?" there was a little crease in her brow. Belle wanted to smooth it away.

Belle bit her lip, "They weren't very nice deals."

"But he doesn't do that now, does he?" Sephie was all concern, her big blue eyes bright with worry.

"No, no, he's in King James' employ now," Even if he does dabble in the black market more often than I would like. "Now do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?"

"I do, I do!" Sephie exclaimed eagerly.

Belle feigned forgetfulness, tapping a finger to her chin, "Ok, where were we?"

"Papa wanted you." Oh how she adored her children and their wonderful wording.

She smiled, "Ah yes,

_To Belle's complete surprise he pointed at her. The dangerous Dark One, known throughout the lands as a devious trickster that should only be called upon in the most dire of need, was pointing to her. Taken aback, she stood frozen, until Gaston's arm swooped around her annoyingly. _

"_No," Papa said immediately. _

"_The young lady is engaged - to me," Gaston said in an arrogant tone. _

_Rumpelstiltskin snorted, "I wasn't asking if she was engaged. I'm not looking for love. I'm looking for a caretaker-," he turned to them, "for my rather large estate. It's her or no deal." _

_Her Papa would not have it, "Get out. Leave!"_

_Rumpelstiltskin smiled, "As you wish." _

_Gaston pushed her back, and it awoke her to what was happening. Their town's one chance at salvation was walking out of the door, and no one was stopping him. How could this be happening? _

"_No wait!" she called, pushing her way past Gaston to face their town's hope, "I will go with him."_

"_I forbid it," growled Gaston. _

"_No," her Papa moaned. _

_She whirled on Gaston, indignant. How could he be thinking of anything else? This was their home they were talking about. "No one decides my fate but me. I shall go."_

_She looked into Rumpelstiltskin's face, and it was absolutely delighted, "Its forever dearie." _

_She swallowed, "My family, my friends- they will all live?"_

_He nodded his inclination, "You have my word."_

"_You have mine. I will go- with you- forever," Belle told him. The words felt so final. _

_The grin that split his face was almost terrifying, if it hadn't been so childlike, "Deal!" he giggled, an eerie noise that crept up her spine. She swallowed again. This was for her town. _

_Her papa was there, "Belle, Belle you cannot do this. Belle please you can't go with this-," he glowered over her shoulder at Rumpelstiltskin, "Beast." _

_She looked up at him- oh how she would miss his face, "Father, Gaston," she looked to her fiancé, and bit her lip. Their wedding had been in a month. He would have to find a new wife, "it's been decided." _

_He was behind her- she could feel it, him leering over her shoulder, "You know, she's right. The deal is struck." He was grinning broadly, "Oh, congratulations on your little war." He giggled again- _

Belle stopped herself, to smile at a lightly sleeping Sephie. Her rosy cheeks were warm as Belle brushed stray golden hair away. She had her Papa's chin, she thought.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly.

He was baffled, but he should have learned by now she knew when he was present and when he wasn't.

"Mothering has given you eyes in the back of your head," she heard him grumble, and she smiled, blowing out the lantern at Sephie's bedside.

"No," she whispered as she stood, making her way to him as he pushed himself off the doorframe, "I just know when you're near."

"Don't give me that," he told her, "You still startle me." But he took her into his arms all the same.

"You never show it," she smiled, kissing him lightly.

"How's the wee one?" He wasn't talking about Sephie, nor their two other children, who had probably been sent to bed if he was down here. He was talking about their newest, the littlest of their lot.

"He's sleeping," she curled into his form tiredly, "I hope it stays that way."

"To bed?" he asked her.

"To bed," she agreed.

"To sleep?" he sounded reluctant at that thought.

She smiled up at him, suddenly not quite so tired anymore. His eyes danced wickedly in the moonlight. Those same eyes that had first caught her attention all those years ago. She would love those eyes forever, because no matter how far she looked, she could never really find the bottom.

"Not to sleep," he decided with a devilish smile, before whisking her away as he had that very first night. Except this time, she was a much more willing participant.

A/N: My very first drabble I've ever written. Ever.

What did you think?

Also. I need ideas on what to name the Dark Castle's newest member. He's a boy. No I can't name him Baelfire. It wouldn't be fair to Rumple. HOWEVER. All other ideas are open to me. Please send them my way!

Love you Dearies!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: DEARIES! Oh how I've missed you! *hugs* Your reviews were treasured, let me tell you! **

**So. Straight to business. **

**I've decided two things. One, while I am still declaring this a drabble fic, I'm giving it a story line. **

**Two, that I'm going way AU here and making up one or two characters. Don't worry. I'm not going to "insert myself into the story" or anything. No, mainly villains, because, let's face it, with Regina dead and Rumpelstiltskin on the side of the angels (even if he isn't one of them), there are no more villains. And what is a good plot to do without the proper villains? Huh? Huh? **

**Anyways, don't fret. I didn't include memories in this chapter. For obvious reasons when you read it. But. I think you'll like it. Don't worry, memories to come, memories to come. Also, all memories will be italicized. **

Chapter 2

~: Rumpelstiltskin :~

It was one of those odd, very few times when he awoke before Belle did. Of course, it was an ungodly hour, and no sane person would deign to be awake of their own doing. Only a bloody royal would require a meeting so maliciously early.

He had gotten the mirror message from Snow White, and thankfully it hadn't woken Belle. He would have been livid. She deserved sleep, especially with the wee little one crying at all hours of the night. Thankfully the child had been sleeping well these last few weeks.

Rumpelstiltskin was rarely allowed the pleasure of watching his wife sleep. She had once been a serene sleeper, so quiet that often he panicked wondering if she were dead or not. After a few children, however, she had learned to snore lightly. It was relieving to him, to hear her breathing. She still smiled ever so softly as he leaned across her on his propped up elbow, tracing circles on her skin and soothing curls from her skin.

He knew he should leave, knew he should go to the bloody war council, but the draw of the beauty before him was so enchanting. It wasn't his fault, he would tell those blasted royals. It was his wife's.

Sighing, remembering that Emma would clobber him for being late, and that everyone in court would tease him for a silly statement like that, he disappeared from the bed, and into his wardrobe, where he haphazardly threw on clothing. If they expected him to come decked out in his finest, they had another thing coming.

He looked back in on his wife one more time, appearing at her side, and only barely managed to keep himself from kissing her on her cheek. That would have woken her surely.

He appeared at the castle in the war chamber. Everyone else was staring at him- oh yes, all of them. The entire council had convened. What by the gods was going on?

He slouched to his seat, directly across the round table from Snow White and next to the Blue Fairy. Why the idiots kept putting him next to her was beyond him. They absolutely loathed each other after all. Fairies. Insects with wings with as much brain power as a thimble.

"Now that we have all gathered," and King James threw a look at him, to which Rumpelstiltskin shrugged to. He was one of the very few who could transport himself from their homesteads to the castle in a blink of an eye, but he should be allowed his freedom. He still wasn't wholly good after all, no matter what Belle always said. It was merely that the royals had offered him a clean slate, which was in his best interest, with his wife and his children to look after. He couldn't exactly be fleeing every angered person with a pitchfork idiot enough to make a deal with him in the past with his family in tow.

"There is grave news," the King declared in his most melodramatic voice. Rumpelstiltskin swore if this meeting was about the stupid frost that had ruined the first of the spring seed, he was going to torch the castle. "The Ogres have invaded."

Rumpelstiltskin felt his heart stop.

"What?"

"We pushed them back- they've been content for several years now-."

"We made a deal with them!"

The room was in a total uproar, but one voice silenced them.

"_Rumpelstiltskin_ made a deal with them," the Blue Fairy pointed out. The entire room

"If you're accusing me of anything, _dearie_,-," he stopped himself with an angry sigh, the _I will personally clip off your precious little wings_ part of his sentence dying with an imaginary image of Belle reminding him to behave. "I didn't _do_ anything."

"He's on our side now," said a bright eyed and bushy tailed Henry. Being newly married meant many sleepless nights. He probably hadn't gone to bed yet. Speaking of sleepless nights- he and Belle had been up far too late for this kind of meeting-

"What's happened?" Widow Lucas asked King James bluntly. Eyes turned from his and he forced himself to relax his shoulders, but his mouth remained tight. After nearly ten years of batting for their team, he would think that he would be beyond speculation.

"Ogres infiltrated our borders sometime last night. They've burned three outposts and are moving through the countryside. We're sending people to evacuate the border towns now."

"Refugees already?" What by the gods was Cinder Soot doing there? Ella looked mournful at her seat next to Thomas. Well if Thomas could bring Ella, shouldn't he have rights to bring Belle? – no, she needed her rest.

"What kind of numbers are we looking at?" the old werewolf demanded.

King James shook his head, "Many. We haven't received those reports yet."

"What I want to know is how did they breach my Wall?" Rumpelstiltskin wondered his fingers touching together in front of him as he looked at the royals across from him.

Yes, he had created a wall, a magical barrier that separated their land from the ogres'. It had taken a lot of time, and more effort than he should have put into it, but he never wanted to see any of his children at war and thus this wall stretched to the heavens and was strung from mountain range to mountain range. Keeping the wall between them had been a part of the deal they had made. The only way to get around it was to march the hundreds of leagues to either side, and then climb over either the highest mountain range to be recorded, or to brave dragon infested mountains. One could not magically transport oneself through the wall, nor pass through it. Not without a very powerful magician's help, one of Rumpelstiltskin's caliber, and even then, it would be one at a time.

"We don't yet know," James admitted. "We don't even know if they crossed the wall."

Rumpelstiltskin growled under his breath, sinking lower in his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. Breaching his Wall. This was a bad dream, this was an awfully bad dream. Ember had slipped something into the drink of evening meal for a prank and this was just an awfully lucid bad dream.

"What are we going to do?" Red asked, and her voice held a chord of despair.

"We don't know," came the answer again.

"What do you know then?" Rumpelstiltskin flared, feeling his mouth tighten as he glared at useless Royal.

"We're working on that," snapped Emma, leaning over the table at him. She was glowering, but Rumpelstiltskin didn't feel the least bit threatened by her.

_Yes, come at me dearie_, he wanted to challenge. _I will tear you to ribbons to weave through tapestries depicting your unfailing heroism_.

It was far too early, and they were sitting here doing nothing but worry, and make everyone else worry. Everything he'd worked for to protect them- shattered again.

"We called this council to warn you," Snow White was standing when he looked up, wearing white as usual, "We are going to be needing all of your help, immediately-. We need more information, that's true, but we should have it shortly by mirror message."

Mirror message had become the way to contact people. The loss of cell phone coverage had been a sore one after the Last Battle. Since Regina's demise and the return to the Enchanted Forest, Rumpelstiltskin had created mirrors that could be used to communicate to others. Each of those on the war council owned one. It was an ironic homage of sorts to Regina and her trapped messenger boy.

"Rumpelstiltskin," Snow White said, catching his attention. His eyes snapped to her green ones, and they were full of intent. He knew what she was asking. She didn't have to say a word.

He nodded once, and was gone from the room without standing.

He was at his Wall, lit dimly in the darkness of the night. It was green in sheen, only apparent if looked at closely, and reeked of his own magic. He knew it well, and he knew that there was no way anyone could run from one end to another to check if there was a breach anywhere, and come back to them within a week. By then at the rate the ogres could travel through an unprepared land, they would reach the castle he had just left.

His sorcerer's pocket was full to the brim, thankfully, and he drew on it then.

He laid a hand on the wall- and sent a pulse of magic through it.

Immediately he found the breech- It was more than a hundred leagues away, and it wasn't sorcerer's magic that had done it- it was darker, fouler. He wrenched his hand away to keep from the feel of it, his nose twisting up in repulsion. What was this?

He'd heard of ogres possessing magic, but not to such an extent. They never honed it, kept to their weaponry, which was good for Rumpelstiltskin in battle. They never knew what hit them in the end. But this was entirely different. It was a gaping hole in his Wall. He ground his teeth in anger. What was going on? Someone was obviously keeping it open, using large amounts of energy to do so. It was magic he was almost sure he'd encountered before, but not for several hundred years.

Who lasted as long as he did?

If he cloaked himself with invisibility, he could get a good look at what was going on- but.

His gut wrenched. He was no longer impervious to death. No, no. On the other hand he was quite susceptible to it now, had almost died on numerous counts with bouts of illness and battles and he remembered how much he loathed mortality. It was a bloody good thing he retained his sorcerer's pocket. He shouldn't go now, risking his life as a scout. That was some other imbecile's job.

Belle would go.

Belle the Brave. It had been her title ever since the Last Battle with the Evil Queen. He remembered all too vividly how idiotically brave she had been, far too close to death again for his comfort.

He would go.

Twisting his arm over himself, he felt the invisibility fall over him like a cloak, and in an instant he was gone.

~: Belle :~

She woke alone.

In all her nine years with Rumpelstiltskin, that had only happened on several occasions. Normally it was their anniversary, and he brought her breakfast in bed. But it was not their anniversary- it had passed two months ago, and the couple had shared a wonderful meal together before the children had been up.

Her heart had lurched. She had woken because her heart had lurched.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she called out into the darkness. Him and his infernal curtains. She nearly tripped over the sheets on her way out of bed, and threw them open to reveal the light of dawn. She turned, searching the room.

He wasn't there.

He wasn't on a trip either. No trip could really keep him from home, even if he could only sleep there before departing again.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she cried out, panic rising in her voice.

This had to be a trick of some sort. He thought himself so terribly funny, did he? Well fine then. She would pretend that nothing was wrong. She would pretend it was fine- but what if it wasn't fine? What if-

Had something gone wrong in an experiment with alchemy last night? Were Pearce and Ember-?

She ran into the corridor, "Pearce? Ember!"

"Morning Mama," Pearce skipped to her side, holding a book up to her in triumph. Belle felt some of the tension disperse. Their children were safe, "Look what I found!"

"Not now, Pearce-," she shook her head at him. She couldn't be distracted.

He looked at the book. He'd probably never seen his mother refuse a book proffered her, no matter what it was. It was probably very confusing, but she couldn't. Her heart had lurched. "But Mama, it's a book about Papa defeating-."

"Have you seen Papa this morning?" she asked him.

"No," Pearce's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Isn't he still asleep?" He tried looking past her to the bedroom, and probably saw the curtains open. If light was in the room Rumpelstiltskin could not sleep.

She bent over to look him in the face, "Could you run to the tower and see if he's up there? Really quick? And run right back down and tell me."

He hesitated, "Mama, is everything ok?"

She nodded, trying to reassure him with a smile, "I just need to make sure of something. Go. Quick!"

Pearce ran for it, book and all.

Belle spun back into the room, looking for the little hand held mirror that was there.

"I'd like to see Snow White, please."

If they had called a war council- but so early?

Well, they were royalty, as Rumpelstiltskin would say.

"Belle?" Snow White's face appeared in the mirror.

"Hi Snow," Belle smiled half heartedly, pushing her tangle of curls back, "Have you seen my husband?"

"He just got here," Snow nodded. "We're keeping him for the time being. Would you like to -."

_Belle. _

Belle sighed in relief at the connection.

"-talk to him?" Snow finished.

She heard Rumpelstiltskin's voice in the back ground. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I've got her." Belle smiled at the movement she knew Rumpelstiltskin would be doing. He would be tapping his head, signifying mind link.

"Oh- right. Well, good-bye Belle," Snow smiled politely.

"Good bye," Belle nodded back, and watched Snow White's face fade from view. In her mind she asked, _What's going on_? The connection was dimmer, because he was so far. It was hard to keep mind connection up over long distances, but she heard him clearly enough to hear him say,

_The Ogres have breached my Wall using old magic_.

Belle was horrified. Ogres? In the Enchanted Forest? They'd signed a treaty, made a deal almost eight years ago. _What_?

_I'll tell you more when I get home. I have to go_.

_When will you be-?_

_Soon, dearest. _

He was scaring her. _Rumpelstiltskin_-

_I love you_-

And he was gone.

Ogres were in the Enchanted Forest.

Belle felt herself slump. She remembered that blasted wall Rumpelstiltskin had built all those years ago. He'd been gone for a lot of her pregnancy with Pearce. It was meant to be impenetrable, especially for ogres. No amount of physical force could breech it.

The Ogres had breached his Wall.

"Mama! He's not up there!" Pearce swung into the room, eyes wide and worried. "Mama-," he stopped dead, looking at her face. "Mama, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied smoothly. "I found him. He's at the King's Castle."

Pearce's mouth made an "O" of understanding. "What's he doing there?"

"King James and Snow White called a council. He'll tell us about it when he gets back," Belle scooped Pearce up, a feat, since he was seven now, more limb than chubby body like he once was, _how did they grow up so fast? _and knocked foreheads with him lightly. "Let's go find us some breakfast."

"Can I tell you about the bad guy Papa defeated two hundred and fifty years ago?" Pearce asked excitedly. Belle nodded deftly, but she didn't think she would really be listening to him today. Her ears were buzzing like she'd just heard a gunshot.

Ogres in the Enchanted Forest Realms.

Her breathe caught even as she walked towards the kitchens with Pearce in her arms.

Ogres were not men. They were akin to an unstoppable force.

She clutched Pearce more tightly to her as he babbled about his papa being clever enough to encase a villain in ice.

Ogre hoards had threatened to destroy their lands several times in her life- but when Rumpelstiltskin had made that Wall, the whole kingdom had breathed a sigh of relief, and most everyone had trusted him after that. He had declared the Wall impenetrable himself, saying only a sorcerer or wizard of his caliber could break it. Now that the Wall was breached…

Ogres in the Enchanted Forest Realms.

**A/N: Dun, dun, DUN! **

**Right? Right. Ok? Ok. Questions? Please ask them. I'm LOVING the names by the way! :D Thank you for them! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Dearies! How I've missed you- forgive me, I've just been working on two stories at once again. The other one, Tale As Old As Time, needed to be finished, don't you think? **

**Anyways, I hope this is good- I had to write in the Evil Queen- I just love her evilness so much. You know me. ;)**

Chapter 3

~: Belle :~

"Mama," Pearce asked, her seven year old son with the most thoughtful brown gaze, looking up from the book he'd discovered this morning, "Can you tell us a story?"

"What story do you want me to tell?" Belle asked quietly, rocking in her chair, baby Gryffin in her arms. He was the quietest of her children, quieter than even Pearce, with big watchful blue eyes like his sister's, but his had flecks of gold in them, like tiny streaks of light. His peach fuzz was nothing more than that still, but she was sure he had his father's hair color- the very first of them to have it. She smiled at Gryffin fondly.

She had gathered them all in the library to do their studies. Ember, all thick, crimped auburn hair, was still working on her mathematics at the small desk she and her brother shared, but Pearce, quiet and insightful, was done with his spelling. He had free time until Ember finished. Persephone, with her long, blonde curls and her on her little belly, was coloring at Belle's feet with the pastels her father had gotten for her, filling pages upon pages with purple and bright sunshine.

Ember, now eight and still just as fiery, perked up immediately, "Tell us about your Belle the Brave adventures!"

"You're supposed to be finishing your work, young lady," she reminded Ember, who immediately ducked her head to the table.

Pearce was enthralled with the idea however, "Yeah! Tell us about the time when you fought the fiercest pirate of them all! Captain Hook!"

"No, tell us about how you helped slay the Evil Queen!" Ember proffered.

Pearce glowered at her, "Ember! We've heard that one a million times."

Ember shrugged, "It's the best one."

"But what about when Mama met the leader of the dwarves? Grumpy? And the time she escaped from the Evil Queen's dungeon? And when she stowed away on Captain Hook's ship? And when they made her walk the plank? The mermaids took her to a -."

"Boring!" Ember declared, overriding him. "I want to hear more about cars and how you drove one straight into the Evil Queen's army!"

Belle shook her head at them both. Belle the Brave was a nickname that had carried on. She wasn't really brave. She'd always wanted to be. It was what she strove to become. But she was always so fearful… like she was now.

"Mama," Persephone looked to her with wide eyes, holding up a picture, "What happened after Papa banished you?"

Belle gave her a grim smile, patting her golden curled head, hesitant, "Well-."

"Ooh! I love this story!" Ember grinned. Belle grimaced at her, and Ember ducked her head. "It's just the Book tells it so well."

Oh yes, the Book. Henry's legendary book that had held the key to unlocking all the secrets of the Enchanted Forest was now known throughout the lands as The Book.

"How does the Book tell it?" Belle asked her. Of course Belle knew how the Book told it. She had her own copy in her own hand on that foreign paper she had used, but she liked when her children told stories. They were by far the better story weavers.

"Well, after Belle left, Rumpelstiltskin was terribly sad- he just didn't know it.

_But the Evil Queen did. _

"_Flimsy locks," smiled Regina as she waltzed into the room with a chuckle, and was polite enough to close them behind her as she continued into the room. _

_His back was turned from her, and he was at that ridiculous spinning wheel. It was such a womanly thing to do she was surprised he still clung to it so. There were easier ways to make gold, certainly. He glanced at her, before turning back to his work, unimpressed. _

"_I have a deal to discuss," she declared, and found herself staring at a tea pot. Since when did Rumpelstiltskin take tea alone? He had not been expecting her. Then again, she really knew very little about the goblin's habits. She just hadn't assumed he'd be quite so civilized without his little girl there, "About a certain- mermaid." She touched the handle- found the pot was still warm. _

"_I'm not dealing today," he said, and sounded injured from his little spinning corner. _

_She kept her smile under wraps, asking, "Are you angry with me?" He didn't respond. She felt like rolling her eyes at the petty gesture, "What is it this time?" she wanted to know, pouring herself a cup of tea. _

"_Your little deception failed," he told her, and she heard the squeak of the wheel pause, "You'll never be more powerful than me." She turned to look at him then, and wondered what he was talking about. Something clicked in her mind as she rotated slowly. "You can keep trying, _dearie_," he sneered, "You're never gonna beat me." _

_He went back to his work. _

"_Is this about that girl I met on the road?" she simpered, and watched as his back hunched. "Hm?" she snickered at him under her breathe as he remained resolutely at his feminine task. She turned back to her tea, "What _was_ her name?" she questioned airily, "Margie? Verna?" _

"_Belle," he corrected, his voice reverent, and if she didn't know any better, she would have said - _gentle_. _

"_Right," she said, a little angry that he had ruined the fun of her guessing game- and, with a spike of annoyance, realized that the goblin was still mourning her loss. She had gotten over the loss of Daniel much more quickly, had resigned herself to do what was needed to take vengeance on those who deserved it. He was just pouting in a corner like a child. "Well," she told him as she stirred sugar into her tea, "you can rest assured that I had nothing to do with that tragedy." _

_Of course she had had everything to do with that tragedy. The instant he had cast her off, Regina had had her picked up. The Black Knight had done it. _

_Regina kept tabs on almost everything that Rumpelstiltskin did, as he likely did her, so when Regina had discovered that there had been a human transaction that didn't involve an infant on Rumpelstiltskin's part, Regina had immediately been intrigued. She had tried to get her magic mirror to spy- but of course, Rumpelstiltskin was clever enough to keep all reflective objects in the house covered, especially the mirrors. _

_The girl, however, was not. She polished things until they shined, and it had given Regina an opportunity to watch this little tale unfold. _

_At first she had been horrified. What was the world coming to, with Rumpelstiltskin falling head over heels for this whelp of a girl? She had seen him come to her aid when she fell off a ladder, watched as she made him tea, and watched him- Rumpelstiltskin of all people – smile at her. A true smile. Regina realized, with a small smile of her own, that she had found something there that wasn't there before. _

_A way to crush Rumpelstiltskin._

_They had been having tea when Rumpelstiltskin had let Belle go. She had been listening through that silver polished tray, the one the new pot of tea was on now. It had been a favorite tool of hers, and the easiest place for her magic mirror to lurk. So when he had let her leave, Regina had known exactly when to pounce. _

_She had watched the resounding disarray ruin the desperate moment of true love with glorious chaos. She had reveled in it when he had pulled off the cover of that mirror, had watched as Rumple manhandled that waif into silence, had thrown her into the dungeon, loved how in his rage he had basically torn his castle down around his ears. _

_It had been the most lovely thing to watch. _

_And then? After he had forced Belle to leave? _

_Regina had sent the Black Knight after her. _

_As a depressed little creature she hadn't gotten far. She was muddied, and tear soaked as he had dropped her before Regina. She had pursed her lips at the misshapen huddle in disgust. "Take her to the tower." _

_She looked back at him as she heard the wheel pause again, cleaning her spoon in her mouth and glancing over her shoulder at him, wondering if he'd snap at her previous comment on the tragedy._

"_What "tragedy"?" he stepped towards her._

"_You don't know?" she asked him, as though it were all the gossip. He gave her an impatient look, but she smiled, taking her time, tapping her cup with her spoon to rid it of the last dregs of tea. "After she got home," she lied, taking the cup in both her hands, "Her fiancé had gone missing." Who's fault was that, she wondered slyly. _

_It had been hers of course. _

_She herself had urged Gaston to Rumpelstiltskin's homestead, to win back his betrothed and claim the title Monster Slayer. It had only been a bit of fun of course. She hadn't expected much to come out of it but a bit of drama. It hadn't even caused that though. It had been almost no fun whatsoever. She would have been in a bad mood for the rest of the day if it hadn't been for Belle's departure. _

"_And after her stay here," she said, sauntering around the table, "Her association with you," she smiled wickedly, "No one would want her of course."_

_And no one would ever want her again. At least not when Regina was through breaking her. _

"_Her father shunned her," she went on, spinning the tale, and watched like a spider as she ensnared her little fly with her web of lies, "Cut her off, shut her out."_

"_So she needs," Rumpelstiltskin stuttered over his words, "A- h-home." _

_How quick he was to come to her aid, her knight in shining armor. Oh no, she couldn't have that. It was why she was here after all. "He was cruel to her." She told him, stepping slowly back around the table, one of her hands trailing along it. "He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying." _

_Regina hadn't sent clerics to flay Belle. _

_Oh no. _

_Regina had tortured Belle herself._

_There was so much information one could uncover from asking the hired help. _

_Unfortunately little Belle was a little more stubborn than Regina had anticipated. So far the several hours that Regina had scheduled with the precious little caretaker hadn't been enough. She needed to get a little more- aggressive. Sadly being too aggressive left marks that couldn't be healed with any amount of magic potion or healer's touch, so she would have to rule that out. Couldn't have such a beauty being chipped, now, could they? Not when she was such a wonderful bargaining chip. _

_To be played at her leisure of course. _

"_After a while she threw herself off the tower," Regina said smoothly, back on the task of making sure Rumpelstiltskin never came looking for her. _

_It came smoothly because it had almost come true. _

_Regina had entered the tower room to find Belle hoisting herself through the narrow window. There was no way to escape from that window. It was more than a hundred foot fall, and there was nowhere to climb to- so there was nowhere to escape from that window, and live. _

_Regina had immediately caught her up by the ankle with magic, dragging the shrieking girl back into the room more violently than was necessary. _

"_Where do you think you were going?" she had snarled, hoisting the girl into the air with magic. "You can't escape from here."_

"_I can," the girl had replied, tears streaming down her face. "There is one way." _

_Regina blinked, and then had smiled with a simper, "You think you're going to escape me by dying?" she wanted to know, "Think again," she sneered, and dropped her into a heap on the ground, loving the way cracking bones sounded. The little creature cried its pain, huddling close around herself. _

"_How tragically romantic," she had said, kneeling in front of the girl, who was clutching her leg to her. "Trying to kill yourself before you give away any of his precious secrets. Let me remind you he shunned you for your little deed. Cut you off, shut you out." She grabbed that dirty, defiant little chin and forced it to look at her, "You owe him nothing." _

_The girl's lips, which had once been so pretty were pale and dry now, had tightened and they didn't move. Regina met her cerulean gaze with narrowed eyes. It was a determined look, bright, sharp, steely, but despair had filled the gaps that true love had left, and Regina was certain she could use that to her advantage. But for now she would lock the girl in the dungeon. She was not about to let this most valuable pawn escape her grasp so easily._

_She looked up at Rumpelstiltskin as she uttered the last malicious lie, "She died." _

_She watched his face crumple, his gaze darken with anguish and loss, though he tried to not show anything. It was obvious, so easy to read because she knew exactly how each moment felt. To have true love lost forever. "You're lying." _

_He was not calling her bluff. Oh no, he wasn't. He was trying to hold on to a shred of hope, clinging to it with all his might, because he was about to tumble into that hole Regina knew oh so well. "Am I?" she wanted to know with a the smallest of smirks, reveling in his misery. _

_He shook as he tried to come up with words. "We're done," he said flatly, and made his way to the door._

_Her mission had been accomplished. _

_He was not going to go looking for his little waif of a caretaker. He believed her dead. _

_Regina could pull Belle out as a last resort when she needed his help in a dire circumstance, and she knew he would fall on his knees, would give her anything she asked. Because that's what you did for true love's sake. She knew all too well. _

_And in the meantime, she would discover this monster's weaknesses. Oh the plans she had for that little whelp. _

"_Fine," she pretended to be off put as she set her tea cup down. "I have other calls to make," and she walked along the side of the table, brushing two fingers against it. Dust came up, and she rubbed it into her fingers with her thumb. "The place is looking dusty Rumple," she told him, motioning to the room. She stopped to look him in the eye, saw the desolation there, and smiled darkly, "You should get a new girl." _

_And as she walked from the room, she had to hold in a cackle. _

_Everything was going according to plan._

_She stepped onto the first of the stairs and disappeared in a whirl of purple smoke next to her carriage, where her knights awaited her return. "Home," she ordered them as one of the knights helped her inside._

_She smiled wickedly. That had gone far better than she had anticipated. She opened her pocket mirror as the carriage began to move, "What news?" she demanded as the face appeared in the mirror, slicking a curl back in her reflection._

"_Your Majesty-," the Mirror seemed hesitant, "the girl- she's escaped." _

_Regina stopped her prepping, eyes widened in horror as she shrilled furiously, "What?"_

"That's when you escaped, huh, Mama?" Persephone chirped excitedly.

"Yes," Belle smiled, but it wasn't a real smile. She had to swallow, trying to forget ever living in that tower, in that dungeon. It had taken her too long to break out, "That's when I escaped." And, in the end, Regina had found her again.

~: Rumpelstiltskin :~

So many of them.

Rumpelstiltskin stumbled into the room, searching for Belle with his mind rather than his eyes. Anything to keep his thoughts away of this new onslaught.

She wasn't in the kitchen.

He cursed under his breath. His sensory magic was off.

That war council had taken far too long, and with the little information that had been provided in it, it had been more of a panic attack than anything else. They would convene again later. But for now. For now he need Belle.

He staggered out of the room. The thoughts of a new war roared through his head.

He felt dizzy with it- of course, that might have been something to do with an ogre's blade that had grazed his gut, but he was sure that Belle would help. Belle was always the answer.

He found her-

He should have known she would be in the library, and she would have all the children with her. It was her safe place.

Ember was telling a story, "The Evil Queen smiled wickedly as she asked her magic mirror, "What news?"

"Your Majesty-," the Mirror was terrified to say, "the girl- she's escaped."

"The Evil Queen was furious, "What?"

"That's when you escaped, huh, Mama?" Persephone chirped excitedly.

"Yes," Belle smiled, but it wasn't a real smile Rumpelstiltskin knew. It was her strong smile, one she wore far too often, "That's when I escaped."

And he hadn't found her. She had had to flee from Regina all on her own. She hadn't called out for his help once, but he should have known. She would never commit suicide.

"Belle," he called weakly into the library.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" of course her voice was worried. "Pearce? Can you take your little brother?"

"K," Pearce said obediently, and Belle gently gave over the little one, before rushing to his side, supporting his weight. She knew he was injured even without him having to say a word.

"Papa?" Ember's voice quavered. She had noticed too, was looking at him anxiously with her tawny eyes, "What's going on?"

"Ember, you keep telling that story," Belle smiled at them, and her courage was such a strength. "We'll be back in a minute, ok?"

Belle had to half carry him out of the room, supporting his weight on her frail shoulders.

He took them to their room, and he collapsed onto the bed.

"What happened?" she demanded, rushing to his side, and saw the old blood on his shirt. They had bandaged him up at the castle, so he had forgotten what a gruesome sight he must look.

"It's merely a flesh wound," he grinned, catching her hands before they could latch onto him. He knew too well she would fret until the end of time if she saw it.

She threw him a sarcastic look, and tried to worm her way around his hands, "Let me have a look-."

He sat up, and interwove her fingers through his, "Don't you want to know what's going on?"

She struggled to make him let go, "After you let me-."

He shook his head with a half smile, "Not a chance dearest- they helped me back at the castle-."

She frowned at him, her hands tightening around his, "Did they have a healer look at you?"

He kept his gaze directly on her, "Yes-," he nodded.

"Liar," she snapped, "You hate when others use magic on you, even me." She scowled at him, trying to loosen his grip on her hands.

"Belle-," he sighed.

She was already riled up however, "After nearly a decade of being married to you I think I should know-."

"Belle," he said more sternly, his gaze serious. He had to talk to her- she was the only one he could talk to.

"I-," and she stopped herself short, glancing away and biting her lip, a bad habit of hers he had long wished to quell, "you have to promise to let me have a look."

"After."

"After," she nodded in agreement. And waited. She waited for him to say something, he could hear her expectancy. But now that there was silence he couldn't think of how to begin. Where to begin. "So," she said quietly, "ogres?"

He bent his head, but kept his hands around hers, "Yes."

She sat next to him on the bed, "How did they get through your Wall?"

"Magic- not ogre magic of course, but magic of some sort," he told her dryly. Who's magic it was, it was strong to break through his, but that went without saying. "Their Majesties are declaring war."

She took the statement in stride. "To be expected."

"To be expected. We can't exactly give them gift baskets and ask them to leave, now can we?" he smiled at her, trying to relieve some tension, but it didn't work, even though she half smiled for his benefit. He knew her too well to know when she was being brave for him, "You know what this means."

"Yes," she stood, breaking from him and walking away distractedly, "I suppose I'll check to see if my armor still fits- if not, I'm sure we can commission-."

"No, no no no no," Rumpelstiltskin was immediately up, stopping her from going to the wardrobe. "You're staying here." That was _not_ the response he had expected.

She furrowed her brow at him, "You can't expect to go-."

"I do," he told her blatantly.

"But-."

He stared intently at her face, "Belle, who will watch the children when you're gone?"

She sighed, frustrated, putting a hand on her head. "You're going to go out there and fight and expect me to wait at home wondering if you'll ever come back?"

"I'll be back most nights," he promised, "magic has its uses after all."

She was shaking her head, "But the nights you don't-."

"I'll send you messages," he reached out and tapped her forehead.

She still was shaking her head, "During the day- during battles- Rumpelstiltskin, you know that you'll be in most of the fray- you- magic is one of the most effective uses against ogres – and I have a sorcerer's pocket. They'll- They'll need me too."

"How long has it been since you've used war magic?" he asked her skeptically.

"Not much longer than you," she snapped, her eyes sparking.

This couldn't be happening. He couldn't – wouldn't have her out there fighting ogres. No he couldn't let it happen. It was more terrifying then imagining Baelfire fighting them. "Belle-."

"I know- I know. I – I'm going to- I have to stay," and her incoherent sentences were showing how frightened she was- she wouldn't meet his gaze, "And you- you're going to be -."

"I'm going to be fine," he told her, catching her hands in his, and pressing them to his chest.

She was shaking her head again, and she was fighting back tears, "You can't-."

"I am going to be fine," he assured her, stepping closer until their foreheads were touching. When tears started to fall from her eyes, he gathered her into his arms, and let her cry there, whispering words only for her, and kissing her curly hair.

She pulled away, and he winced as she did so.

"You h-have to let me look at that at- at least," she sniffed, wiping away her tears.

"Fine," he huffed in false annoyance, and brushed away a stray tear that her fingers had missed. "It will be fine, you'll see."

She waved away his hand that had lingered on her cheek, "Take off your shirt," she ordered, still trying to get over her fluster. She never had liked to cry.

"As you wish," he grinned at her wickedly.

She twisted her mouth at him, trying not to smile, "Don't you start."

**A/N: I love them so much you guys! NO REALLY. (if you couldn't tell).**

**Also I'm seriously suffering from no Once Upon a Time. It's a real problem. Sigh… anyways! I hope you enjoyed! I really love all of your reviews! Anyways! Until next time! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Oh my gosh you guys! I am SO sorry! I know, I know, it was… so long. There's no excuse for it. At all. And I'm so sorry… life… finals, trying to find a job, the Avengers (you wouldn't believe how big a distraction that is- I might start a Bruce Banner story soon, by the by) **

**ANYWAYS- here is a chapter. I know it's short. Y'all deserve so much more. **

**But guess what? I worked out the kinks! Writers block is gone! WOOHOO! It should run smoothly from here on out. I guarantee about one to two chapters a week! **

**Love you guys a ton.**

**Oh. And what did you think of the OUAT finale? :)**

Chapter 4

~: Henry :~

He wasn't as excited as he thought he would be.

Henry sat in the library, feeling defeated. When it came down to it, he knew very little about ogres, and much less about how to defeat them in close combat. Arrows were pointless- they stung them like bee stings, according to one of the Odes of a horrible battle, barely fazing them. The little ammunition they had left was treasured, and had almost as little effect as arrows unless one was an expert marksman. Swords were only effective if they were broadswords, or hand and a half- he carried two swords instead of one, and they were smaller in comparison. He was going to have to learn to carry heavier weaponry.

What ogres were most vulnerable to was magic. He was going to have to take lessons from Rumpelstiltskin. He should have started years ago- but he'd been off exploring, adventuring with his mother and learning about all the people of the Enchanted Realm.

He should have been preparing for something like this.

He twisted the gold band on his finger, an odd and wonderful weight that he'd grown to love.

He had to protect Grace. That was the ultimate goal here. And if he was off fighting a war with these monsters, he had to put her somewhere safe, and very out of harm's way.

Where though? This castle was a target, an obvious one at that. And if Rumpelstiltskin said that there was a powerful magic user on the opposing side, he couldn't risk anything. He could not leave her here.

Where then- where-

Rumpelstiltskin.

~: Pearce age Eight :~

_Belle had rushed out into the fray, using her special arrows as daggers instead of missiles. He threw out a hand to stop her, but she had already ducked the blow of an ogre, and was out of his sight just as members of the walking dead were upon him. He burned them all to smithereens._

_ He searched the battlefield frantically, watched in horror as purple and black smoke landed atop the glass case that held the now cursed Snow White, which was why they were in this bloody mess in the first place. Regina formed, stopped Emma from trying to bash her way into the glass casket that held her mother, and was casting magic at her. _

_Hoisting Emma up in the air by her throat. Emma was struggling, struggling to breathe-_

_ Rumpelstiltskin ran forward, but Belle got to Regina first. _

_ An arrow would have lodged itself in Regina's back if she hadn't turned to smoke just in time. With a gasp Emma collapsed onto the ground, choking, and grabbed her sword (guns were useless on both the walking dead and ogres as it turned out), cornered by Regina's goons._

_ But Rumpelstiltskin was no longer worried for Emma._

_ Regina whirled on Belle, seething, raised her hand to smite her-_

_ Rumpelstiltskin drew lighting from the sky, a draining feat, and flung it at Regina. _

_ She blocked it, turned to him, regarding him with loathing, "I thought you were dead." _

_ "So sorry to disappoint," he snarled back. "Now if you pl-."_

_ With a roar of rage, Regina threw a sheer energy blast at him, almost knocking him off his feet- if he hadn't cast a barrier he would have been fifty feet away, nestled nicely in the Maine trees with the birds and squirrels. _

_ He'd done it now. _

_ A battle of magic was on two planes- the first was on a physical level. Each opponent flung what they could at each other until one no longer had any magic left or- their mind had been breached. _

_ It was as important to have a mental barrier just as much as it was to have a physical one, and the combining of the two was more draining than he had ever remembered. He felt her slam into the metal wall around his mind just as she tore the earth out from under him. _

_Swearing profusely, he steadied the rock bed, before magicking weapons from the hands of her own men, to fling at her one at a time as though she were a dart board, but he could not berate her on the mental plane. She was too strong there, and he hadn't practiced a mental battle in so long, it was all he could do to keep her from entering. _

_At this rate he was done for. _

_She grinned gleefully as she dodged his rather pointless tactics. _

_He didn't have a plan for this. Regina wasn't supposed to have shown up. He should have had a plan for this. He didn't have nearly enough magic-_

_A dent in the wall around his mind sent his casting off and his concentration on his blocking his brain from hers to full priority, which she took advantage of. _

_Another energy blast made him pull up an earthen shield- it was almost impossible to hold up a magical barrier while trying to block the barrier around the mind. The earth eroded away around him, sending him back along the grass a few inches. _

_He steadied his footing just in time. _

_Energy blast-_

_He let his guard down enough to cast a magical barrier this time. _

_Regina took her opportunity, slamming into the wall enough to open up-_

_No! _

_He closed again, locked down his mind-_

_An energy blast sent him careening backwards, landing twenty feet away from where she stood atop the glass casket of Snow White. _

_Rumpelstiltskin had cast- else wise he would have been far away- but it hadn't been enough- he still hadn't recovered from the loss of his magic. No longer the Dark One, he was more vulnerable, remembered less spells especially in the heat of battle. _

_ And the Evil Queen was fierce. She let nothing stop her- _

_ She raised a hand to the sky, and he knew this time he wouldn't be able to deflect this blow. The smile that flashed on her wicked face was his death sentence- _

_ Lightning flashed to Regina's hand, and he put up his own arm to deflect the blow, knowing he no longer had enough magic to deflect this particular blow and protect his mind- _

_ Blue with brown swirling curls was before him, and he could only cry his horror- _

_ Belle the Brave brought up her shield, and took the bolt meant to slay Rumpelstiltskin full force, sending her flying backwards into him, sprawling on top of him. _

_ "Belle!" he shouted, shifting her to look in her face as Regina cackled from atop the casket. Something else grabbed the Queen's attention however- her mind was no longer trying to force its way into his-_

_ But at this moment he didn't care. _

_ "Belle! _Belle_!"_

_ Bless all she opened her eyes, her brilliant, defiant blue eyes and stared up at him, "I'm alright," she panted with a smile, trying to hide her wince, "You did enchant this shield, remember?" _

_ He wanted to shake her senseless for jumping in front of him, wanted to kiss her for her life, wanted to take her and run, run far far away from this horrible battle- but he only removed a soot stain from her face, before an ogre was upon them and he had to put up a magical barrier between them-. _

"Why do I always gotta be the ogre?" whined William.

"Ugh!" growled Pearce, his imaginary princess gone. William ruined absolutely everything. "It's only for a minute! Remember I was the Black Knight for a while when you were your papa?"

William was the second son of the Charming family, who was here for the summer. A campaign against the Ogres had ensued. King James had declared that they were driving the Ogres back to their lands, once and for all, and therefore many men and women had gone to fight. The White Knight Lady Emma had gone, legendary for breaking the curse that had held their parents captive in another land.

A lot of the royal children had come to stay at Dark Castle, along with Henry's new wife, Princess Grace. All of the Charming children, and both of Emma and August's children, and the Cricket children had come to Dark Castle after Henry had asked if it was alright if Grace stayed with them. It made sense to Pearce. It was a very remote castle, with lots of rooms and a lot of magical protection high in a mountain range with only a village or two nearby.

At first Papa had been wholly opposed to the idea. It was his castle, and he was worried about them enough without having ten other children romping around underfoot. And he didn't like the Charming's oldest, Richard. He didn't like him at all.

Mama had persuaded him in the end. It was only for a short while, she had told him, and the other children would be such a comfort to their children. And Grace would be a helpful set of hands.

He had grumbled, but Mama normally got her way. He loved her too much to argue a lot, and she was the same way. Oh they argued, but it was more in jest than anything. He loved Mama too much, and she loved him too much.

Mama was worried. Papa was angry so that meant he was worried, and they barely saw him now. Papa hated that he was a soldier- but Pearce wished he could be one! He would be the best soldier ever, if only Papa would let him.

Instead he had to stay here, and play with William the cry baby. Hopefully Con would be done in the library soon, and join them again. If he had to play with William one more minute alone while Con got a map for them to share, he would turn him into a snail.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

~: Belle :~

She did a lot of washing lately. Grace helped, but she was often running after the little ones, and frankly, that was a task in and of itself in Dark Castle. They spread out way too quickly, pairing off or teaming up. Ember and Richard were always side by side. Parker often tried to keep up, and half of their day was spent avoiding the little tike. Belle tried to encourage those two to play nicely, but it was like asking fire to light underwater. It didn't work.

But recently, Parker had been following Irene around, and Alexandria.

Yes, Ella had come to stay.

And, while Belle loved Ella, bless her heart, Ella wasn't much help.

She said it was because she had been cleaning her whole life, and cleaning made her remember what life had been like before Thomas, but… Then again, Ella was running the nursery. She had the triplets to look after, and little Annette, and Matthew, who was old enough to walk around and speak now.

Belle kept Gryffin with her often. He was learning to walk, but he could crawl faster than any of their other children, she swore, and disappear more craftily than the other three combined, including Pearce, who could disappear for hours, hiding away to devour a book somewhere.

Gryffin, though, she feared, was not getting to know his father as he should, she feared.

Right now she was washing bandages that were stained or soiled with the bouts of war, and little Gryffin was asleep in the nest of clean laundry she had done earlier. She wanted to rub his soft tiny cheek, smiling at his peaceful form.

But Belle's hands were slick with blood. It was time to change the water again.

She sighed, standing up, and her knees ached terribly from where she'd been kneeling. Who knew getting old was painful?

As she watched the water drain, she looked to the ceiling where she was hanging the clean bandages on thin wires that spanned the bathroom. There were at least a hundred- but when she looked to the crate next to her, there were hundreds more to go. She sighed, considering dumping them all in, and letting them soak, but she knew from experience it didn't help much.

This was a bloody war.

Men died faster than they could be drafted. Ogres fell in many a number too, but not enough to make them turn back home.

She didn't see the point- none of them did. They didn't want anything. The Ogres burned the countryside as they went, leaving only ash and dark magic. The King was wondering if their tirade meant things would never grow again.

There was no dealing that the Ogres would do- and Rumpelstiltskin only had so much magic he could use against them these days, and they wouldn't treat, wouldn't even allow audiences.

Ember and Pearce's lessons had been put on hold for the time being. Their Papa was far too tired every night when he appeared home to sleep, and there was little they could do without him, besides practicing, which they did avidly, and, in Pearce's case, read all the books on spells he could do at his age he could get his hand on. His sorcerer's pocket was already larger than Ember's he stored so much so often, and Belle was worried he would overdo it one day.

And-

Rumpelstiltskin was…

She sighed, hanging up the bandages she had washed while waiting for the water to fill in the tub once more. She watched as the water swirled into the tub, staring at her watery reflection.

Rumpelstiltskin had been so angry since this war had started. He was quicker to snap, more fiery than she'd ever seen him. It was difficult to watch this, to see him struggle daily, to see this happen to him, to see him worn down so wholly he would lash out… but she could understand.

She knew he was working hard, and she knew how much he loathed war, how hard it was for him to go into battle everyday and see everything spiraling out of his control. He couldn't find the source of the dark magic that wasn't Ogre's magic, nor anyone else's, and with the King always needing him at the front, he could do little to discover, and find the culprit.

Also, to have one's sorcerer's pocket empty so often was always taxing. Belle knew this from experience. Having it empty ever was a hardship. It was like being hungry, being crabby and obnoxious, or as though there wasn't enough time in the day to sleep.

And this happened to him constantly. There were nights he wouldn't sleep because he needed time to refill, nights he wouldn't come home because there wasn't enough magic around to be stored, and sorted. And he needed to do that. He did.

But- but she missed him.

She missed lots of things though. She missed using the laundry room, but that had been blasted apart by Ember one day playing with Richard. Rumpelstiltskin had been furious.

Belle missed reading to her children every night.

She missed making them meals and sitting down together to eat as a family.

She missed only having to clean six pairs of shoes, and being able to take a moment and read from Rumpelstiltskin's vast library.

She missed the feeling of a full belly. Since the war started food had been scarce, even for the rich, and often her share went to one or more of the children.

She missed taking vacations to other places in the world, teaching the children about tide pools near the ocean, and trees four times the size of those around the estate.

She missed cleaning and having Rumpelstiltskin walk in, put down her work, and take her up in his arms, and waltz around with her until they were dizzy and laughing and couldn't breathe.

She missed having him bring her a treasure when he got home from an outing, a rose, or a shell, or something for the children, such as a new toy.

She missed conversing with him, speaking openly and pondering questions of the universe, learning his thoughts and his mind, because it held so much knowledge and so many lifetimes of experience.

She missed Rumpelstiltskin's kisses- not the peck that he gave her when he got home at night, but a real kiss, a real caress.

She missed him. So much.

The water in the tub had filled.

She turned off the water, but didn't move for a moment, still staring at her reflection in the clear liquid, motionless and searching.

Rumpelstiltskin was so closed off now. The horror of battle had tarnished him more than she could have ever imagined. He had healed physically, of course, thank all the good forces in the worlds combined, but, Belle knew there was no healing for what happened to him daily. He had probably seen people cut down by the enemy, and others wounded.

He had closed off his mind after the first week to keep the images that ran through his mind from scaring her. He should have known she was made of sterner stuff, that she was willing to share the load. She wanted desperately to be alongside him, to help him, to fight. If it meant the war would end faster, and she could have him back- she would do anything.

It was now three months into the war. And there was no sign of it ending.

No sign at all.

And she couldn't help but let the tears come to her eyes as she knelt down and started scrubbing another soiled bandage. The fresh cold water stung her fingers, which already were sore and blistering, but she had to do her part. But-

It was overwhelming, all of the sudden.

The tears streamed freely as the bloody came free and slid along the water in awful, red tendrils, reaching out to her as she leaned over the bathtub, scrubbing, scrubbing.

Alone.

And she couldn't help him. All she wanted to do was help him. This- this was torture-

Another bandage.

More blood.

More tears.

Tears that dripped into the red water, rippling it as she scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed.

A sob escaped her throat before she could stop it.

"Mama?"

It was Ember, peering in to see what was going on.

Belle quickly wiped the tears away, smearing red on her cheek, "Yes, Ember?"

"Mama what's wrong?" Ember looked so confused.

No, she couldn't let her children see her so broken down. She had to be strong for them.

"Oh, nothing-," Belle smiled, her voice thick, "What's the matter?"

Ember, her eyes large, huge, came up to her, and knelt down beside her. She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging her tight, and Belle couldn't help but laugh, and feel relieved, oh so relieved.

Relieved because she wasn't alone.

Because Ember was there too, worrying about her Papa too, and so were Pearce and Persephone, and Gryffin, little Gryffin, curled up in a ball in her clean laundry.

Ember, her fiery little spark, looked up at her with a hopeful smile.

She smoothed down Ember's curly hair, and held her close.

Belle had so much to be thankful for, despite all of this, despite the war and the problems and Rumpelstiltskin's constant departure. She had her home still, she had her friends, and she had her children, her wonderful, sweet children. Her daughter was one of the biggest blessings in her life. She loved her so much, loved all of her children so very, very much. And she thanked the stars daily for them.

Her daughter, even though a little spitfire, was truly kind, was truly good, and so very, very dear to her. Belle hugged her daughter securely, and Ember squeezed tighter. It was silly to cry with her children there, still loving and wonderful, even if they were sometimes – but she stopped herself, because they were children. They were _children_. And she wouldn't be happy if they were anything but.

"It's ok," Belle told her, whispering into her hair, "It's ok."

Belle remembered being pregnant with Ember. She and Rumpelstiltskin had only been married for a while, and she had been oh, so happy when she had found out. Rumpelstiltskin's face had never been brighter.

_"Rumpelstiltskin, I think-." _

_ He lurched up in his chair, the book he had been reading to her cast aside, "Is it time?"_

_ "No," she smiled at him. He was so very tense, on edge all the time, "No, not yet. Close though. No, I was thinking about our children, and you teaching them magic." _

_ "Magic?" he blinked at her. _

_ She gave him a withering look, "You know you will."_

_ He sat back in his chair, pondering, "I suppose so- I hadn't really thought about it." _

_ She looked away from him, biting her lower lip, before rubbing her swollen stomach, wincing as she felt a spasm, but, she had to ask him, "Can-, I mean…"_

_ When she trailed off he finished for her, "You're apprehensive about it?"_

_ She gazed at him imploringly, "If she's anything like you, she'll want to know magic."_

_ "If she's anything like me, which I hope she isn't," he said, standing and coming over to her, "She will-."_

_ "Be brave and strong like her Papa," Belle answered for him as he knelt down by her side._

_ He took her hands in his, "Like her mother." He grinned at her, "Remember who the title Brave was given to, dearest." _

_ She narrowed her eyes at him, "They were being kind when they offered me that name, Rumpelstiltskin, and you know it." _

_ Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, "No. They were honest. Now, if she is like me-."_

_ "You're calling her she too," Belle smiled to him._

_ "You've been calling her "she" for so long I can't argue with a mother's intuition," he smiled back with a raise of his brows, refolding his fingers around hers. _

_ "What if she's a he though?" she wanted to know._

_ "Then she's a he," he told her simply, "You're fretting."_

_ "And you're not?"_

_ They laughed together, but they were. They were nervous. This was their first child- well, her first child. _

_ "You shouldn't be so worried. You had Baelfire." _

_ "Bae," he sighed, looking away from her, and she had wished she hadn't brought it up. _

_ He had never found Baelfire on Earth. Everything had moved too fast, the battle on Earth had taken up so much of his time and they had never found him. _

_Baelfire was Rumpelstiltskin's biggest regret in his life. He often searched for ways to create portals, like the Hatter's hat, but even after disappearing for a few weeks into it, he never found Baelfire elsewhere either._

_And she wished to the stars every night that one day, one day, they would find him._

_ "Bae was different," he told her finally, touching her huge abdomen. "His mother- his mother and I aren't like you and me." _

_ Belle felt the anxiety rise in her, "But still-."_

_ Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, cutting her off, "She was less-."_

_ "Less what?" Belle tilted her head. _

_ "Less-. Less, delicate," he finished, his eyes flicking up to meet hers at the word._

_ Belle twisted her mouth, "Delicate?"_

_ "Yes, delicate," he said more definedly. _

_ She didn't like it, "You think I'm delicate." _

_ "No, but, Belle you're built like a bird," he told her, holding up one of her small hands,  
"She was built like a horse." _

_ "You think I'm delicate," she repeated._

_ "Belle," he sighed exasperatedly. _

_ "Oh no," she smiled challengingly, "you're in for it now." _

_ "Belle-," he tried, trying to keep his mouth from twisting upwards himself. _

_ "No sir," she grinned. But something inside her hitched, and she held her breathe, stifling the pain, her smile faltering as she felt the switch. _

_ "Belle-," his voice found her, staring worriedly into her face, "Belle?"_

_ "Rumpelstiltskin," she breathed as the pain receded momentarily, "I think- I think I'm-." _

_ He picked her up in one fail swoop, and they disappeared up to the bedroom in the Charming's castle he'd had prepared, had had prepared for days now, and laid her gently down on the bed, and smoothed back her hair from her face, smiling at her, and trying not to let the panic rise in his eyes, but she could see it there, and she wanted to comfort him, to tell him it was alright, but the pain rose in her again and she bit down on her lip, closing her eyes. _

_ "I will be back in a moment, dearest."_

_ "Mhmm," she managed to nod, and he was gone from her side. _

"Mama?" Ember cut in, jarring her from her memory, her tiny hands fisting in the fabric of her dress. "Mama!"

"What is it, darling?" Belle smiled down at Ember, brushing her hair with her fingers.

Ember turned, and pointed at the entry way.

Rumpelstiltskin stood there, framed in the door, worn, and he muttered, "Belle." He staggered forward, and fell to his knees beside her.

Belle opened her arms to him, and drew him in as he pulled her near.

"Papa, what's wrong?" Ember wanted to know.

"It's Henry," he whispered into Belle's hair. "He's missing."

~: Rumpelstiltskin :~

He was pacing up and down their bedroom, Belle sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands folded so they would keep from fluttering as he explained what had happened to her. Henry had gone missing, out questing for some pointless purpose after being given direct orders to stay at his post. It was juvenile, and selfish, and by the fires of the seven hells, when that boy returned there would be a reckoning unlike any other seen before-

"But surely," she tried.

"His troop is missing too. We can't find them anywhere," Rumpelstiltskin growled, mouth thin with anger.

"And, you can't find him with his mirror, can't track him in anyway?"

"He left his mirror," Rumpelstiltskin fumed, hating that he was once again reminded of his uselessness, "and the King has sent others to track him. My skills are needed for more- _destructive_ means."

Belle shook her head, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't help anything!" he snapped at her. She ducked her head, and he realized too late what he had done. He paused where he stood, reaching his hand out to her, "I-."

"No, I understand," Belle smiled wanly, trying to reassure him, and he could see there for a moment how thin stretched she was, almost as much as him. He wanted to hold her, but didn't, couldn't. He felt too dark at the moment to hold such a being of light. She stared into her lap, before looking up, "And you're sure, he didn't just, go on patrol?"

"No, we're sure. He left a note," he growled, remembering what had happened with the stupid little prince, turning to pace the other direction, anger unfurling within him again, "The stupid, glory seeking child went off in search of grandeur. And of course, Emma is going to try and follow."

Belle's eyes snapped to him in panic, "She mustn't."

"No she mustn't!" grimaced Rumpelstiltskin.

Belle looked back to her lap, at her fingers that were now tangling maddingly, "How are Snow and James-."

"As you can imagine they aren't taking it too well," Rumpelstiltskin went back to pacing, relaying information, keeping himself calm, calm, because he barely had control on his emotions as it was, "The King is on the front, and it's all Snow can do to keep herself from going after him, let alone keeping Emma from following along blindly."

Belle shook her head, still fiddling with her fingers, "What was he searching for?"

"Who knows?" he growled, throwing up his arms, "Who knows!"

The idiot of a child wanted to prove himself a man by going off and questing his way through this war? Did he not know the sheer ignorance of his plan? What would happen if the Royal family crumpled now if he were to be killed, or worse, captured? What it would cost the kingdom? What it would cost his friends, his loved ones, his family? Did he ever think of that? Or was that little ego of his so all encompassing that he forgot everything else in search of heroism?

"You said- he had a theory?" Belle tried again, trying to search for an answer as to where the hotheaded, impulsive child was.

"A stupid, fool-hardy theory!" he shouted, fling his arm out as though slicing the idea's head right off.

She curled her fingers into her worn dress, "What was it-."

"He thinks he knows where the ogre leader is," Rumpelstiltskin said scathingly, "And he doesn't think it's an ogre." Which, wasn't the problem. The theory had possibilities, even if the King refused to care. It was all about kill now, ask questions later with the eldest member of the Royal family.

Belle's voice quavered, "Well, he's been right before. He- he has good instincts."

"That's not the point!" yelled Rumpelstiltskin furiously at her, "His instincts don't make him immortal!"

She looked sideways, "I know they don't-."

"So he shouldn't be doing hapless, reckless things!" he declared angrily, "Things that could kill other men, could ruin the kingdom!"

"I agree-," Belle nodded, and he could tell she was trying to soothe him by the tone she was taking. But he didn't need to be soothed- he had every right to be angry, to hate this stupid princeling for making the most poorly executed choice since- "Rumpelstiltskin, do you want me to come back with you? I could help-."

Belle come back? To the frontline?

No.

She couldn't be arguing this again.

She couldn't seriously want to come into this war now, not when she could see the effect it was having on this land, the effect it was having on him.

To think of Belle, standing bravely on the frontline, holding that small sword with a bow and quiver on her back, the old bow and quiver she'd carried around from the old days? No. No, he couldn't begin to fathom, too furious to think-

Whatever leash he'd had on his anger broke as he rounded on her, "You wouldn't be a help! You need to stay here!"

Belle shook her head, holding up her hands in defense, "That's not what I meant- I meant I could help reign Emma in until there is a plan-."

"And convince them to let you join the cause-," he scorned. He could see her ploy. She just wanted to be fighting, to be "helping" as she so unwittingly put it- but she didn't know what she was asking. He wouldn't let her-

Anger flared up in her eyes at his unwillingness to listen, but he didn't want to listen to her pointless arguing. She tried anyways, "Rumpelstiltskin that's not what I-."

He felt his lip curl, "You know your place is here, you stay here, with the children-."

"I meant only to help-," she frowned fiercely.

He narrowed his eyes at her, ready to scoff at any idea of help she could offer, "You wouldn't be a help, you would be -."

"Don't mistake my wish to aid for a way to escape!" she shouted, standing straight and regal before him, eyes alight with fire, "I know I am to stay here. But now, right now?" she glowered at him with anger he hadn't seen from her since the day he had banished her from his palace, "I can't stand to be in this room any longer. Not with you and your- your petty need to lash out." She stalked to the door, ripping it open, when she turned abruptly, her eyes flashing, "I am not the enemy Rumpelstiltskin. Remember that."

She shut the door with a bang behind her, leaving Rumpelstiltskin seething where he stood.

Accusing him of thinking she was the enemy? Walking out on him when he needed her the most, in this time of crisis, trying to escape the house when he needed to know she was safe, here, with their children, to keep any peace of mind at all?

He stared at the door a moment, panting in fury, before with a roar of rage, he blasted the bed apart, shattered the chandelier, tore apart the wardrobe and the desk, blew the windows out, tearing the curtains from their hanging rods until the room was in total shambles.

Heaving, he snarled at the tarnished room. Bed sheets rent, bed collapsed, tattered cloth and busted wood mixed with shards of glass littered the ground, and the last rose he'd brought her that she'd dried and left on the desk was at his feet.

He stepped on it, crushing the frail petals under his boot-

When Belle burst through the door.

She looked around at everything, eyes wide, horrified as she took in the damage, before she stared at him, close to tears.

He could only sneer at her, lifting his chin. She understood nothing- nothing. And he refused- refused to feel guilty.

But the tears flowed down her face. And he began to feel his anger spoil, transforming into that emotion that he refused to feel.

"I'm not coming back," he told her sharply.

The look on her face wrenched his heart, tearing it in two-

She collapsed to the ground on her knees, burying her face in her hands.

He couldn't handle her emotion.

He vanished from the room, but not before he heard a sob escape her.

A/N: Angsty, I know…

What do you guys think?


End file.
